KJV: Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying.
YLT: and ye have not known Him, and I have known Him, and if I say that I have not known Him, I shall be like you -- speaking falsely; but I have known Him, and His word I keep;
Darby: And ye know him not; but I know him; and if I said, I know him not, I should be like you, a liar. But I know him, and I keep his word.
ASV: and ye have not known him: but I know him; and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be like unto you, a liar: but I know him, and keep his word.
ἐγνώκατε | you have known |
Parse: Verb, Perfect Indicative Active, 2nd Person Plural Root: γινώσκω Sense: to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of perceive, feel. |
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δὲ | however |
Parse: Conjunction Root: δέ Sense: but, moreover, and, etc. |
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οἶδα | know |
Parse: Verb, Perfect Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular Root: οἶδα Sense: to see. |
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κἂν | And if |
Parse: Conjunction Root: κἄν Sense: and if. |
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εἴπω | I say |
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Active, 1st Person Singular Root: λέγω Sense: to speak, say. |
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ὅτι | that |
Parse: Conjunction Root: ὅτι Sense: that, because, since. |
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οἶδα | I know |
Parse: Verb, Perfect Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular Root: οἶδα Sense: to see. |
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ἔσομαι | I will be |
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Middle, 1st Person Singular Root: εἰμί Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present. |
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ὅμοιος | like |
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular Root: ὅμοιος Sense: like, similar, resembling. |
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ψεύστης | a liar |
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular Root: ψεύστης Sense: a liar. |
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λόγον | word |
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular Root: λόγος Sense: of speech. |
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αὐτοῦ | of Him |
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular Root: αὐτός Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself. |
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τηρῶ | I keep |
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular Root: τηρέω Sense: to attend to carefully, take care of. |
Greek Commentary for John 8:55
Adversative use again of και kai = “and yet.” Perfect active indicative of γινωσκω ginōskō the verb for experiential knowledge. This was true of the κοσμος kosmos (John 1:10; John 17:25) and of the hostile Jews (John 16:3). Jesus prays that the world may know (John 17:23) and the handful of disciples had come to know (John 17:25). But I know him Equipped by eternal fellowship to reveal the Father (1:1-18). This peculiar intimate knowledge Jesus had already claimed (John 7:29). Jesus used οιδα oida (John 8:19; John 15:21) or γινωσκω ginōskō (John 17:23, John 17:25) for the knowledge of the Father. No undue distinction can be drawn here. And if I should say Third-class condition (concession), “even if I say,” with και εαν kai ean Apodosis of the condition. ομοιος Homoios (like) is followed by the associative-instrumental case υμιν humin The word πσευστης pseustēs (liar), in spite of the statement that they are the children of the devil, the father of lying (John 8:44), comes with a sudden jolt because it is a direct charge. This word liar is not considered polite today in public speech when hurled at definite individuals. There is a rather free use of the word in 1 John 2:4, 1 John 2:22; 1 John 4:20; 1 John 5:10. It is not hard to imagine the quick anger of these Pharisees. [source]
Properly, word, as John 8:51. So Rev. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 8:55
Και Kai here = “and yet.” Jesus repeats the claim of John 7:17 and also in John 5:30; John 8:28; John 12:49; John 14:10. Whom ye know not Jesus passes by a controversy over the piece of popular theology to point out their ignorance of God the Father who sent him. He tersely agrees that they know something of him. Jesus says of these Jews that they know not God as in John 8:19, John 8:55. [source]
In contrast to the ignorance of these people. See the same words in John 8:55 and the same claim in John 17:25; Matthew 11:27; Luke 10:22 (the Johannine aerolite). “These three words contain the unique claim of Jesus, which is pressed all through the chapters of controversy with the Jews” (Bernard). Jesus is the Interpreter of God to men (John 1:18). And he sent me First aorist active indicative of αποστελλω apostellō the very verb used of Jesus when he sent forth the twelve (Matthew 10:5) and used by Jesus again of himself in John 17:3. He is the Father‘s Apostle to men. [source]
“The testimony of an unseen and unheard witness would not satisfy them” (Vincent). Bernard understands the Pharisees to see that Jesus claims God the Father as his second witness and so ask “where,” not “who” he is. Augustine has it: Patrem Christi carnaliter acceperunt, Christ‘s human father, as if the Pharisees were “misled perhaps by the Lord‘s use of αντρωπον anthrōpon (John 8:17)” (Dods). Cyril even took it to be a coarse allusion to the birth of Jesus as a bastard according to the Talmud. Perhaps the Pharisees used the question with double entendre, even with all three ideas dancing in their hostile minds. Ye would know my Father also Conclusion of second-class condition determined as unfulfilled with αν an and second perfect active of οιδα oida used as imperfect in both condition and conclusion. See this same point made to Philip in John 14:9. In John 14:7 Jesus will use γινωσκω ginōskō in the condition and οιδα oida in the conclusion. The ignorance of the Pharisees about Jesus proves it and is due to their ignorance of the Father. See this point more fully stated in John 5:36-38 when Jesus had his previous controversy in Jerusalem. In John 7:28 Jesus said that they knew his home in Nazareth, but he denied then that they knew the Father who sent him. Jesus will again on this occasion (John 8:55) deny their knowledge of the Father. Later he will deny their knowledge of the Father and of the Son (John 16:3). The Pharisees are silenced for the moment. [source]
Condition of third class with εαν ean and constative aorist active subjunctive of τηρεω tēreō Repeated in John 8:52. See John 8:43 about hearing the word of Christ. Common phrase in John (John 8:51, John 8:52, John 8:55; John 14:23, John 14:24; John 15:20; John 17:6; 1 John 2:5). Probably the same idea as keeping the commands of Christ (John 14:21). He shall never see death Spiritual death, of course. Strong double negative ου μη ou mē with first aorist active subjunctive of τεωρεω theōreō The phrase “see death” is a Hebraism (Psalm 89:48) and occurs with ιδειν idein (see) in Luke 2:26; Hebrews 11:5. No essential difference meant between οραω horaō and τεωρεω theōreō See John 14:23 for the blessed fellowship the Father and the Son have with the one who keeps Christ‘s word. [source]
To know God is to know him as the one, true God as distinguished from false gods; to know his will, his holiness, his hatred of sin, and his saving intent toward mankind. Two words are used of such knowledge, εἰδέναι and γινώσκειν . Both are applied to the heathen and to Christians, and both are used of the Jews' knowledge of God. Ἑιδέναι , of heathen, Galatians 4:8; 1 Thessalonians 4:5; 2 Thessalonians 1:8. Γινώσκειν of heathen, Romans 1:21; 1 Corinthians 1:21. Ἑιδέναι , of Christ and Christians, John 7:29, John 8:19, John 8:55; John 14:7. Γινώσκειν of Christ and Christians, Galatians 4:9; 1 John 2:13, 1 John 2:14; 1 John 4:6, 1 John 4:7, 1 John 4:8; John 10:15; John 17:3. In John, γινώσκειν of Jews who do not know the Father, John 16:3; John 8:55: εἰδέναι , John 7:28; John 8:19; John 15:21. The two are combined, John 1:26; John 7:27; John 8:55; 2 Corinthians 5:16. A distinction is asserted between γινώσκειν as knowledge grounded in personal experience, apprehension of external impressions - and εἰδέμαι purely mental perception in contrast with conjecture or knowledge derived from others. There are doubtless passages which bear out this distinction (see on John 2:24), but it is impossible to carry it rigidly through the N.T. In the two classes, - those who know not God and those who obey not the gospel, - it is not probable that Paul has in mind a distinction between Jews and Gentiles. The Jews were not ignorant of God, yet they are described by John as not knowing him. The Gentiles are described by Paul as knowing God, but as refusing to glorify him as God (Romans 1:21). Paul rather describes here the subjects of God's judgment as one class, but under different aspects. [source]